evil. The elite among the Iske who owned slaves had behaved much the same as white slave owners.
Mr. Harris didn't really see slaves as people like himself, but he valued them much as he would a good horse. He discharged a white overseer who'd beaten a mill slave to death. The overseer was promptly hired by another plantation owner who liked the man's
"firm way of dealing with niggers." A year later the overseer was killed by two slaves who then escaped into the hills and joined a community of free Maroons. Every slave on Jamaica silently applauded the deed.
In time Adia realized she should aim her hatred at slavery itself, for it created evil by its existence. Individual slave owners and overseers she would judge on their own sins and virtues. And she listened to every white who came near her to improve her English.
Miss Sophie was a shy girl close to Adia's age. It would never occur to her to put away her own clothing, and she was particular in her requirements, but generally she was a good-natured girl who didn't make a game out of being difficult. Adia heard stories from other lady's maids when there was visiting between the big houses, and she was grateful that Miss Sophie was so pleasant.
She became even more grateful when Miss Sophie gave Adia the greatest gift Adia had ever received. It started when Miss Sophie was sitting by her bedroom window, reading a London newspaper and enjoying the cool breeze from the sea. When she finished, she folded the paper and set it aside.
"I wonder what it would be like to read the news when it's new rather than when
it's two months' old."
"Not too different, miss. Just pretend this is April, not June." Suppressing her envy, Adia glanced up from the stocking she was darning.
"It must be like magic to look at black marks on paper and learn so much from
them."
Miss Sophie looked thoughtful. "I suppose it is a kind of magic because reading the newspapers brings England alive for me even though I've never set foot there." Her expression brightened.
"Would you like to learn how to read, Addie? It would be interesting to see if
you can do it."
Adia's rush of excitement blocked her irritation at her mistress's assumption that a slave might not be capable of learning. She wanted desperately to read and write, for education was a path to power.
"I should like that more than anything, Miss Sophie, but I don't want you to get
into trouble for teaching reading to a slave."
Miss Sophie shrugged. "Then we won't tell anyone. Bring me my
writing slate and chalk, and we'll start with the alphabet."
Luckily Adia proved an apt student so that Miss Sophie didn't become bored. In fact, she was so apt that during the third lesson, when Adia was learning to read short sentences, her mistress said with a frown,
"You're learning so quickly, Addie. Faster than I did."
Gods forbid that a slave be more intelligent than a master. "I'm older," Adia said meekly.
"A small child is not so ready to learn."
Mollified, Miss Sophie returned to the lesson. In the future, Adia made sure she was less quick. And she told no one, not even her closest friends, what she was learning. Miss Sophie would be scolded for teaching a slave, but Adia might be killed if the lessons became known.
Books were rare and expensive, so Adia couldn't risk borrowing any except for the few that belonged to Miss Sophie. But the Harrises received bundles of newspapers when ships arrived from England. After the papers were read by family members, they were piled on a table in the morning room and eventually given to an elderly English friend of Mr. Harris's. This meant that there were usually newspapers in a public room, and no one bothered to keep track of them.
Adia took full advantage of the papers and in the process learned a great deal about England and London. It seemed an interesting place, though cold. Perhaps if Miss Sophie visited her British relatives someday, Adia would have a chance to see the country that
Mr. Harris didn't really see slaves as people like himself, but he valued them much as he would a good horse. He discharged a white overseer who'd beaten a mill slave to death. The overseer was promptly hired by another plantation owner who liked the man's
"firm way of dealing with niggers." A year later the overseer was killed by two slaves who then escaped into the hills and joined a community of free Maroons. Every slave on Jamaica silently applauded the deed.
In time Adia realized she should aim her hatred at slavery itself, for it created evil by its existence. Individual slave owners and overseers she would judge on their own sins and virtues. And she listened to every white who came near her to improve her English.
Miss Sophie was a shy girl close to Adia's age. It would never occur to her to put away her own clothing, and she was particular in her requirements, but generally she was a good-natured girl who didn't make a game out of being difficult. Adia heard stories from other lady's maids when there was visiting between the big houses, and she was grateful that Miss Sophie was so pleasant.
She became even more grateful when Miss Sophie gave Adia the greatest gift Adia had ever received. It started when Miss Sophie was sitting by her bedroom window, reading a London newspaper and enjoying the cool breeze from the sea. When she finished, she folded the paper and set it aside.
"I wonder what it would be like to read the news when it's new rather than when
it's two months' old."
"Not too different, miss. Just pretend this is April, not June." Suppressing her envy, Adia glanced up from the stocking she was darning.
"It must be like magic to look at black marks on paper and learn so much from
them."
Miss Sophie looked thoughtful. "I suppose it is a kind of magic because reading the newspapers brings England alive for me even though I've never set foot there." Her expression brightened.
"Would you like to learn how to read, Addie? It would be interesting to see if
you can do it."
Adia's rush of excitement blocked her irritation at her mistress's assumption that a slave might not be capable of learning. She wanted desperately to read and write, for education was a path to power.
"I should like that more than anything, Miss Sophie, but I don't want you to get
into trouble for teaching reading to a slave."
Miss Sophie shrugged. "Then we won't tell anyone. Bring me my
writing slate and chalk, and we'll start with the alphabet."
Luckily Adia proved an apt student so that Miss Sophie didn't become bored. In fact, she was so apt that during the third lesson, when Adia was learning to read short sentences, her mistress said with a frown,
"You're learning so quickly, Addie. Faster than I did."
Gods forbid that a slave be more intelligent than a master. "I'm older," Adia said meekly.
"A small child is not so ready to learn."
Mollified, Miss Sophie returned to the lesson. In the future, Adia made sure she was less quick. And she told no one, not even her closest friends, what she was learning. Miss Sophie would be scolded for teaching a slave, but Adia might be killed if the lessons became known.
Books were rare and expensive, so Adia couldn't risk borrowing any except for the few that belonged to Miss Sophie. But the Harrises received bundles of newspapers when ships arrived from England. After the papers were read by family members, they were piled on a table in the morning room and eventually given to an elderly English friend of Mr. Harris's. This meant that there were usually newspapers in a public room, and no one bothered to keep track of them.
Adia took full advantage of the papers and in the process learned a great deal about England and London. It seemed an interesting place, though cold. Perhaps if Miss Sophie visited her British relatives someday, Adia would have a chance to see the country that
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